Letter to President Trump on Opioid Epidemic

Last month, the President and CEO of Partnership for Drug-Free Kids sent President Trump a letter requesting special funding to address the national opioid addiction & overdose crisis. Marcia Lee Taylor asked that the Trump Administration make this problem a priority and work with educators, healthcare providers, and governmental officials to draft policy solutions that
Read more
No Comments

Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder

The Pew Charitable Trusts published a video overview on medication-assisted therapy for opioid use disorder. The clip is less than 2 minutes (shown below), and offers a quick summary of the medications often used in treating opioid addiction. Opioid use disorder is highlighted as a complex brain disease. Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) combines medication + behavioral
Read more
No Comments

Heroin Overdoses Behind The Wheel Are Increasing

The News & Record published a recent story about an increase in heroin overdoses occurring while operating a motor vehicle. This has resulted in serious car crashes around the Piedmont Triad community. In some instances, small children were in the backseat of the car and in jeopardy of severe injury while the driver overdosed and
Read more
No Comments

Advocates For Opioid Recovery

Advocates For Opioid Recovery is a non-profit organization spearheaded by Newt Gingrich, Patrick Kennedy, and Van Jones. The group is dedicated to advancing evidence-based treatment to better address the effects of America’s opioid addiction dilemma. A main focus of the organization is breaking down regulatory barriers that exist in patient access to recovery medications like
Read more
No Comments

Recovering From Heroin Addiction

Opioid addiction is a particularly difficult addictive disorder to deal with because it creates not only a strong psychological dependency, but also a powerful physical dependency. The progression of opioid addiction is rapid for most people because of the euphoric effects (stimulation of the brain’s pleasure/reward center) and increased tolerance to the drug. Increased tolerance
Read more
No Comments

Heroin Help Cards in High Point

The High Point Police Department has been a steadfast supporter of addiction treatment and in assisting people with addiction problems find the help that they need. Their most recent effort is the use of Heroin Help Cards. WFMY News2 aired a segment highlighting this new initiative in which High Point Police Officers will hand out
Read more
No Comments

Funding For Drug Treatment Services (Opinion)

I began counseling in a North Carolina outpatient substance abuse treatment center in 1988. For the next 12 years, there seemed to be a sufficient level of state funding for detox, and inpatient and outpatient drug treatment services. Facilities were staffed well, clinical teams were typically well-trained, and substance abuse treatment programs were equipped to
Read more
No Comments

PBS Frontline Highlights America’s Heroin Epidemic

ADS Board Member, Stacy Smith, recently notified ADS staff of a powerful documentary she viewed which just aired on PBS. The film is titled Chasing Heroin. It is an expertly produced piece on the resurgence of heroin addiction in America. Chasing Heroin profiles a number of individuals and families who are struggling with heroin/opioid addiction.
Read more
No Comments

New NIDA Study on Increase in Heroin Use

A National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIH) article highlights findings recently published in The New England Journal of Medicine. The study determined that new opioid prescription policies which more carefully regulate the prescribing of opioids have not directly led to a rise in heroin use over the last few years. Researchers found that an individual’s
Read more
No Comments

Thinking About The Meaning of Recovery

The word Recovery is a powerful symbol of hope for people who deal with addiction. Before alcohol and drug addiction were so readily addressed in society, the medical community used recovery as a reference to that period of time when a person was recuperating from a surgery or extended illness. So-and-so has had a full
Read more
No Comments